Remove crust from oven and add Hershey candy bars directly to the top of your crust. Let sit for approximately 3-5 minutes. You will see the top of the chocolate bars become shiny and that is when you know it is completely melted and ready to be spread.

Now take a spoon and using the back of it, spread the melted chocolate until evenly distributed across the top of the crust.

Now, add pecans to the top of melted chocolate.

Allow to completely cool so that the chocolate hardens. If you are in a hurry, you can place in the refrigerator for about an hour or until set. You can leave in refrigerator longer, just make sure you let the bars come back to room temp before cutting otherwise the chocolate will sometimes separate from the crust.

Grease 9×13 pan and spread dough. Bake for 25 minutes or until edges are brown. Remove from oven and place candy bars on top of dough. Once melted, spread chocolate and add pecans.

Let bars cool (until the chocolate hardens) before cutting. If you cool the bars in the refrigerator, make sure you let the bars come back to room temp before cutting otherwise the chocolate will sometimes separate from the crust.

Extra Tip: You can also add some crushed toffee bits (found by the chocolate chips) to give the bars an extra layer of flavor and crunch.

Comments

Thank you so much for this post! I made this recipe over and over again in the 70’s and then lost it. My boss threatened to fire me if I didn’t figure out how to make them again!! I have been searching off and on over the years and can now share this with my kids and grandkids!

Yes, the recipe calls for 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter. Did you use room temperature butter or melted? If you use melted butter the dough has a tendency get a little soupy.
Once it is baked and completely cooled though, it should firm up.

Hi Emily, yes 1 cup of flour is the correct measurement. This crust has a high fat content because of the butter which will make it look a little oily until it cools. Once it is cooled, however it will thicken quite a bit and will produce a “toffee” like effect, hence the name of the bars. Also, do not melt your butter as this can give it an “oily” look as well. Use slightly chilled butter and that will give you more of the “dough” consistency that you are looking for. I encourage you to try making the dough again as these bars are well worth it and all of the people you share them with will thank you!

Hi Erin! Did you leave the bars to cool at room temperature or in the refrigerator? If they are cooled in the refrigerator, make sure they come back to room temperature before cutting. If the chocolate is not brought back to room temperature it can separate. Have you already cut the entire pan and taken them out, or are they still in the pan?

I would not use the word “crispy” to describe the crust on these bars. They are definitely more buttery and soft than crispy. You could always split it down the middle and use 1 1/2 cups of flour and see if you like the consistency. If not, you will know for next time if you want them more crispy or chewy.

Hi Glynnda! I am sure that you can substitute the coconut flour, but I am not sure what the correct ratio would be. Coconut flour absorbs liquid at a much higher rate than all purpose flour does so you will need to use less. Try to make them starting with a 1/2 cup coconut flour and add if necessary until you get dough that is the consistency of a very soft play dough. I am sorry I cannot give you a concrete answer, but I have not used coconut flour before. PLEASE let me know how they turn out, I would love to be able to post your results for our other gluten free readers. Good luck!

Love this recipe! It is so simple and turned out so tasty! My only problem is that I’m having trouble getting the bars out of the pan. The bottom seems to crumble when I use a metal spatula. I didn’t put a layer of parchment to pull them all out at once. They are completely cool since making them yesterday. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Hi Sara, I am glad that you are enjoying the bars. Did you grease your pan? If not, next time, make sure that you grease your pan before adding the dough. For now, try putting about one inch of hot water (the hottest you can get it) in the bottom of your sink. Hold your pan in the hot water for a little while (do not let the water come in over the sides). Hopefully this will heat up the bottom enough for the bars to release easier. Heating up the butter in the dough should hopefully make them more pliable. Let me know if it works, good luck!

Hi Barbara! I have never tried using the semi sweet chocolate chips instead of the Hershey bars, but I would think you would be able to.

Each Hershey bar is 1.55 oz, so I would just use one bag of the semi sweet chips, which is 10oz. I don’t know how well they will melt, so I would maybe try to melt them in the microwave on a low setting or over a double boiler and then spread on the hot crust.

Let me know how it turns out, would love to update the post for others that would like to try this option.

Julie, I think these people are expecting the toffee candy bar. These are bar cookies. I have made this recipe for years and like the other woman, lost my recipe, so I appreciate finding this one. Thank you for your patience in answering everyone’s questions.

Hi Sandra! Yes, I do agree that people see the word “toffee” and they think hard and crunchy texture like the candy. You are right though, these are bar cookies and the crust has a more “cake like” texture than crispy and crunchy. Either way, they are delicious and I cannot keep them around long whenever I make them.